I have to say - I was very impressed with the Pilot Knight! There is something about Japanese nibs that make me feel that they're on a different level to most western nibs of same priced pens.

Pricing
I got my Knight recently for $35 (new in box with papers, twist converter included). Great value for its price. I believe that the quality of Pilot Knights matches those of Steel-nibbed Parker Sonnets, which cost considerably more than $35.

Body
The barrel and cap material is metallic matte, so it's a durable, tough-built pen. The design is very contemporary and comes in Black, Navy blue, Burgundy and Silver. The one I got is a nice Burgundy, and I think its quite pretty (most of my other pens are dull black or grey matte <_<)

The clip is spring loaded and is a 'one-piece' bar shaped chunk of metal. Looks durable, and is aesthetically sophisticated. Pilot sure did put a nice effort into design - even in an inexpensive pen like this.

The cap makes a hearty sounding "click" as it shuts securely, and removing the cap is with ease. It's actually quite ambiguous because when you snap the cap shut, you feel that its a very firm fit - but the cap comes off with little effort.

The grip section is quite short compared to most other pens, so if you like big, long grips on pens, the Knight may take a little getting used to. Since the grip section is short - the nib isn't poking as deeply into the cap as other pens. This means that there is less risk of that awkward collision between cap and nib that you might accidently do in the opening ceremony. This sure is a good characteristic for me, because I feel my heart lose a beat whenever I rush to open a pen, and I scrape the nib across the cap (usually no damage, but my heart aches ).

As it is a metal pen, there is a bit of bulk to the pen, but I wouldn't consider the Knight as a heavy pen. To me, it is well balanced. I don't think the pen was designed to be used posted, as the cap doesn't stick on securely at the back. You wouldn't want to post it anyway - heavily unbalanced to write.

Nib
Appearances aside, this economic beauty wields a lovely Japanese "M" nib (meaning it writes like a Western Fine). This is what I meant in the title as "just write"! The elusive ideal thickness and wetness between a Fine and a Medium I had been searching for is this very nib! The Pilot Knight has hooked me onto Japanese fountain pens, as its shown me beyond the modern Parker's jungle of "Fines" that write like double broads :doh:

It's a smooth writing nib (but not too smooth ) that is firm and writes consistently. The wetness fits the description of "not to wet, not dry" pretty much perfectly! (For me, Parkers are too wet and Lamy's are too dry)




I definitely recommend this pen if you're looking for a reliable, high-quality everyday writer. I think the Pilot Knight is also a nice moderately-priced gift idea, especially for someone who has just gotten into FPs, or you would like to introduce FPs to. It's a guaranteed "good start" IMO

I give it a proud 8.5/10



Comparison of Pilot Knight M with typical Western M (Sonnet)

ps: The difference in writing thickness is more apparent on paper. The scan doesn't show the thickness difference as much as I would like :doh:

I've never seen a name given to that particular event before...so thank you for that!


I have a maroon Pilot Knight with a "M" (writes like a Fine) nib, too and I agree with all the points you made except one: I use my Knight posted and haven't had problems with the cap falling off (so far ). I tend to hold fountain pens a bit higher up the section than some other users, so the back end of a posted Knight is not particularly unbalanced for me.

Keep up the excellent reviews!

(edited to add "never" to first sentence)

Kissing,

I had been wondering about the Pilot Knight a few days ago and here you go and do a review. Thank you for doing such a detailed review.

You mentioned that the Knight has a bit of heft. How does the weight compare with the Parker Sonnet? Is it a bit heavier or is it about the same? I like the weight and balance of the Sonnet. I guess I'd be using the Knight unposted though if the cap does not secure well.

The Pilot Knight was so pretty and wrote so well. I used to own one, but it was too heavy for me, so I sold it off.

Thanks for the review, kissing! I have been curious about this pen for a long time.

Nice review Kissing! Thanks for the effort. Enjoy your new found prize!

Thank you everyone

It's a pleasure doing reviews. (filling up the gaps )


The weight of the Pilot Knight is a bit heavier than my Stainless steel matte Sonnet. It's not a big difference, but definitely noticeable.

The cap can be posted, but for me, it's quite difficult to write with it posted while holding onto the grip. You'd have to hold the barrel while writing if you want to post (I just tried this, and its actually quite OK)

If you get a Knight - I hope you enjoy it

Thank you for the great review of the Pilot Knight. I too, have contemplated buying this pen and I think you got an excellent price. The ones I've looked at in Office Depot are about $45. I did not want to take a chance on spending that much money for a pen when I had not read any reviews on it. Now I can contemplate it a bit more!

The quote/poem you wrote is interesting, what is it from?
Oh, and I could tell a difference in the nib size between the Sonnet and the Knight.

It's the last stanza of a poem I wrote in Junior High for Valentines day

Thanks for the great review, Kissing! I love the Pilot Knight! In fact, I consider it to be one of the best deals out there (if not the best). I have a red Knight boxed and waiting for me for Christmas, and I plan to get a lot of use out of it.

Enjoy!

The Pilot Knight is a great looking pen, and writes very well. I agree with what has been said about writing with it unposted. It feels heavy and unbalanced to me if it is posted, and for me, it feels too small in my hand unposted. A great pen; just not for me.

This looks like a nice and cheap pen I could bring to the university without fear of losing it.
Anyone know a good place to get this pen from, in Europe?

I really like my Knight as well. I write with it posted and it's comfortable for me that way.

I got mine from online (pendemonium.com)

It's also available at swisherpens.com too I think.

As the Japanese don't really market their pens much to the Western world directly, I think it may be hard to find it in a normal pen store

Excellent review, Kissing! I love my Knight and reading your review reminded me that I haven't been using it much (due to the color of the ink it was loaded with). With a flush and different ink, it's back in rotation! Found mine at an Office Depot, but I did have to rummage through the poor sad messy shelf to find the lone (silver) fountain pen among the ballpoints. I was worried it would be too heavy for me, but that hasn't been the case. I post the cap and have no problems with the balance. The squeeze converter works quite well, but I would prefer one where I could see the ink level.

My one came with a clear twist converter. Maybe you could buy one separately?

Are Japanese brand FP's comparable with German FP or American FP brands. Would it be similar to comparing somehting like Japanese car versus German or American cars?

If you're talking about nibs - Japanese nibs run a bit finer. A Japanese M nib matches about a Western F nib.

If you're talking about quality, absolutely! In fact, Japanese pens may even have more attention to quality on their pens than the Western brands They have high quality control standards. Their pens of various models are popular among members here and are quite advanced.

I do not know much about cars, so I can't really make a comment about that comparison :doh:

Ah, only just seen this review from a link in another post.

Anyway...

Excellent review. Thank you.

I'd not heard of, or seen this pen before. Looks very nice, and sounds like excellent value. I think I may have to try one if I can find an EU source.

- Mark

Thanks, I'll check on it. Did a Google search when I first bought the pen, which seemed to indicate the pen didn't take Pilot-Namiki converters, but looks like I lost hope too soon. I'll ask the nice folks at Pendemonium. Still love the pen.

Please let us know - I would like to get a twist converter for my pilot as well.

Thanks,
Steve

Steve, good news about the converter. Here is Sam's reply: "Yes, the VP twist converter will fit in the Knight. Glad you mentioned this, I need to update that info on the site, thanks for the reminder."

Thanks for the information. I'll definitely be getting one - may even order another Knight.

Thanks,
Steve

just to add to the discussion...

i bought a knight (M nib) off an ebay seller that sells knights all the time. $45 total. shipped a little slow for my liking, but i have the pen now so that thought is fading from memory.

crazy smooth nib. feels heavy - heavier than my m800 even. i don't know if it is, but seems that way. it seems way too thin for my liking. i'm going to give the pen to someone with smaller hands. i just wish i could keep the nib.

I have one as well. It has a very smooth nib, but it's an oddly slow writer, as if there's more resistance between nib and paper than with most of my other pens. I haven't quite decided yet whether or not I like that. But it is a very good pen for the money.

I can't really justify getting this pen for myself, much as I like its simplicity and elegance. That particular niche in my arsenal is too well filled by my VP, and I'm not giving that up.

However, there's a 10-year-old boy I know whom nobody else would think to give a fountain pen. Or does this come under "corrupting the young"?

[quote name='kissing' post='180128' date='Nov 17 2006, 05:45 PM']

I have to say - I was very impressed with the Pilot Knight! There is something about Japanese nibs that make me feel that they're on a different level to most western nibs of same priced pens.

Pricing
I got my Knight recently for $35 (new in box with papers, twist converter included). Great value for its price. I believe that the quality of Pilot Knights matches those of Steel-nibbed Parker Sonnets, which cost considerably more than $35.


I see Sonnets all over eBay for $25 and less -- least I have seen for a Pilot Knight is $40. You said it's a good value compared to the higher priced Sonnet -- is it a good value if the Sonnet is lower priced? I have never tried either, but I have some Vectors, Jotters & a Reflex from the Parker camp, but no Pilots.

"It's a smooth writing nib (but not too smooth ) that is firm and writes consistently. The wetness fits the description of "not to wet, not dry" pretty much perfectly! (For me, Parkers are too wet and Lamy's are too dry)"

You oughta try the Lamy 2000. Definitely wetter than other Lamys.

But thanks for a great review. I love the Japanese pens (have a VP and a Falcon) and was wondering about this Knight.

You're right about the smoothness of the nib, obmike---it is so smooth...

Kissing,

Based on your review, I bought a Pilot Knight. If I were to write a review of it, it would end up being a word-for-word copy of your review. I concur with everything you've said about this pen. Thanks for the review. I will enjoy this pen.

Cheers,
Laura

glad you enjoyed your pen I wish you a lot of happiness with it.

Sonnets on eBay for $25 and less are almost, definitely chinese fakes Please be careful of them

The Pilot Knight certainly feels better and more worth the money than the Vector, Jotter, and Reflex though.

a) Pilot Knight uses better materials. Durable matte steel body with heft - Probably one of my toughest pens. Vectors are either weak plastic, or plain steel. Jotters are thin steel or plastic. Reflex? - rubber and plastic

b ) The Pilot looks better, design wise.

c) Pilot has a higher quality nib. One that does not need to be sent back for replacement due to quality control (Parker nibs often need to go back for replacement upon purchase, unfortunately). Also, many members find that Vector/Jotter/Reflex nibs are too fat or too wet for writing. Pilots are fine, as japanese pens go.


I love my Vector and Jotter, but compared to the Pilot Knight, they are in a whole class lower in my opinion.

I hope you have positive experiences with Pilots if you ever use them in the future


ps: The Sonnet is my favourite pen. I like the Sonnet better than my Knight, but Sonnets do cost way more Despite the different feeling of nibs (Sonnets are soft nibs, Knights are a bit stiff) - Pilot provides an equal product on the quality level IMHO.

I think the performance of the Pilot Knight depends greatly on the ink. It writes slow, as you've described, when I use Quink Blue in it.

However, it writes ultra-smooth and rapid with Waterman ink (green). If you're not happy with the resistance, perhaps it's the ink? Just a possibility

Kissing,

Thanks for the review. Being new to the FPF as well as fountain pens in general, I was enjoying my Waterman Phineas until I decided to try the Pilot. Wow! Very smooth. It encouraged me to spend more of my money and order some new inks and another pen. I'm hoping this new interest of mine will not end up with membership in FP collectors anonymous (like my watch collecting did... ) Anyway, I'm enjoying my new pens (and writing again)...especially with the Pilot Knight. Now, if I can just get me some flexible nibs, several new ink colors, more moleskin..... ...anyway, thanks for enabling me

I picked one up, thanks to a $20 off $40 office depot coupon, and was pleasantly surprised. This was my smoothest pen, ever. I was using the blue pilot ink cart that came with it. It is a tad bit small, which I didn't expect from the pictures, I prefer to use it posted. I really like the clip, and the pen has great fit and finish.

Based on my happiness with the Knight, I looked at the Pilot Prera, which shares the same nib and feed. I found one on the marketplace, and bought it. The pen (Prera) arrived clean and ready to go. I loaded it up with some noodler's polar black, and the pen wrote excellently for a while. Butter smooth, and the usual Noodler's opaque black. After a few paragraphs, it started acting wonky. By wonky, I mean erratic ink flow, sometimes stop, sometimes go, start a stroke dry, and finish wet, really odd. I tore it down, cleaned it out, and tried it again, same ink, a little better performance, and then switched back to Pilot blue ink without a cleanup (resulting in a blue-black ink, which almost matches the slate color of the pen, which is an unintended bonus), and it went back to being super smooth, even flow, and a great pen, with the mix of Pilot blue and Noodler's black.

Now I'm on a quest to figure out which inks work with it, and which don't. Anyone else have issues with their Prera/Knight/78G? I think all take the same steel Pilot Super Quality nibs and feeds. When I am finished with my second ink cart of the Pilot blue in the Knight, I'm going to try it with Noodler's polar black, and see if the ink really makes a difference.

Gepzo

Hi. Does this mean those VP twist type converter can be used as converter for Pilot Knight?

Out Of Topic. I notice that the squeeze type converter for both Pilot knight & Pilot Birdie is the same.

Does this mean VP twist type converter can also be used as converter for Pilot Birdie as well?

Pls advise. Thanks

Oh, hello. I have Visconti Travelling Inkpot which will not work with my workhorse, currently smoothest, cheapest, loveliest pen, the Knight because you can't do a squeezy thing with the Visconti thingy (these are industry terms). Please tell me that I can combine these two lovely things... I shall be watching intently. Thanks.

K

Thank you for the spot-on review, kissing. Found a Knight on eBay [silver, medium nib] for a bargain price. The ball-point shipped with it, too. They arrived this afternoon, and I must say I’m delighted with both. The FP glides like fingertips on silk, but not to the point of losing control. A sublime experience. I cannot wait for the rest of my Pilot stash to land!

Highly recommended

Looks like Pam of Oscar Braun has a special on the Knight for $29.98 plus shipping. In her picture there's only the burgundy pen so I don't know if that's the only color she has left or what. Anyway, for anyone interested in the pen, there'sone source in the USA with a good price. (No affiliation with the store, just an enthusiastic customer.)

Just throwing in my hat here to say that based on kissing's review and the other praise here, I picked up one of these at Office Depot this morning (the only FP they had among the Knight line.) It is slim, but very comfortable to hold even in my larger hands. The nib is truly smooth and comparable to my other fines, but is in no way scratchy or noisy on the page. It's truly a pleasure to use. I also did not pay close enough attention to all the topics here, as mine came with a squeeze-type converter in the pen. The converter wasn't listed on the packaging, so this was a pleasant surprise when I opened it up (after briefly thinking that I had somehow broken the feed.. "Gahh! What is this thing?!")

I actually find it quite comfortable to use posted or unposted, and since I tend to let my fingers cradle the pens as I write, the smaller tapered section is not a problem.

Thanks again kissing. I think this pen has just cemented my lust for a Namiki VP.

EDIT to clean up confunderated sentences.

I bought my Pilot Knight at Office Depot. I've found it a pleasure to write with for shorter periods of time because of my preferences for weight and grip length (your experience may differ). Mine came with the squeeze converter, which I like better than the twist piston converter in my VP. I've also tried cartridges in it. The design is impressive and socially useful.

The only problem I've had with the Knight, which I've had with a few modern pens of various price levels, is that it doesn't start right up after standing upright and capped for more than a day and a half. I don't know whether that's because the cap's seal against the barrel isn't airtight (it isn't, despite the solid snap fit), because the feed and nib let ink drain completely back into the reservoir, or both. Do the 78G and the Prera (same feed and nibs, different cap seals) start up better?

I haven't had any sort of start up problem with my Prera, and it's one of about 5 pens I have in my bag, so it doesn't get used every day. I just ordered a Knight, we'll see how that goes.

For me I have found it to be way too heavy. Although the pen's function is excellent it presents an annoying presence in my hand.

Thanks for the review. I saw one of these at Office Depot today, but I wanted to check reviews. I will post if I decide to go back and get it. It is a sharp looking piece.

I got two Knights for Christmas, one a matte black and the other a shiny red.
I love this pen! As stated, it writes smooth, but not slippery, and looks and feels great in hand.
I like the hinged clip and the sharp "click" that tells you it's securely capped.

All in all, a great pen for the money.

Did you get your Knight? How do you like it? I see you're in NYC. Where did you order from, if you don't mind me asking....

Nope, not yet (holiday shipping entanglements, I expect). It has been sent, just not received.

I ordered from Pendemonium while they were having that sale (12/27-29/2007). A quick Google search shows it running from $35-$40, not on sale. Not too bad.

$29.98 at Oscar Braun Pens. (no affiliation)

How much better is the Pelikan 200 than the Pilot Knight for the cost, at almost double the price? I have a Safari on the way, but I'd like to have one at work and one at home.

Thanks!